BSA Scuba Venture Crew 820 & GLSPS 9th Annual Underwater Basket Weaving Event.

Sunday, September 11, 2022 at 12:30 PM

The event is a joint effort with BSA and GLSPS Members.

There will be a slight fee of $5.00 at the event for basket making materials if anyone would like to make a basket.

This event will take place Sunday afternoon, starting at 12:30 pm at Golden Acres located on Square Lake.  The address is, 15150 Square Lake Trail North, Stillwater, MN 55082 (Southeast side of Square Lake) (Golden Acres vehicle and per-person fees are not included.)

GLSPS members can just watch or join in on the fun with a basket kit (basket kit $5.00 fee) to try your skills underwater. Divers will need to provide all their own dive equipment, including, air tank, regulators, exposure suits, and other personal dive equipment.

Divers from BSA Scuba Venture Crew 820 will team up with divers from the Great Lakes Shipwreck Preservation Society (GLSPS) on this event. We do need additional volunteers to serve as shore support.

All participants can hopefully enjoy a sunny day, and hopefully the visibility of the lake will be in our favor this year, with water temperature averages about 60 to 65 degrees this time of the year.

Scouts will measure and cut pieces according to the basket kit directions and pre-assembled the base prior to diving. The weavers will use the small round reed basket kit pattern the Scout shop sells, which is a 3”x 3”x 3” Natural Rattan Reed. This is the easiest way to work with the weaving while under water, with the extra side material some of the scout’s baskets could be quite tall.

Scouts typically arrive in uniform to represent the Scout format.

The bottom time expected is anywhere from an hour to an hour and a half, the Scouts can complete weaving the sides while kneeling on dive platform, which is at 20-feet deep. They can finish the top loops back on land after the baskets dry out.

Special Announcement:

Due to the safety requirements of the CDC, State, Federal Governments, and the safety requirements of the GLSPS, you will need to be vaccinated for you protection from the current pandemic.  

There is a new and improved "Online Liability and Waiver Form" to complete 36 to 24 hours before you arrive at the event and board the RV Preservation.  You must read, understand, sign electronically and submit.  Failure to do so will forfeit your permission to attend or perform any scuba diving activities at this event.  So please complete your forms ASAP!   If there are any questions, please contact the Project Leader.  Contact information is listed below. 

Underwater Basket Weaving Itinerary:

12:30 pm -- Go over logistics and pair up divers (beach area) assemble dive equipment. Hand out 3”x 3”x 6” Natural Rattan Reed basket kits and go over directions.

1:00 pm - Pre-assemble base on shore prior to diving, put completed base and side reed material in mesh bags (provided).

1:30 pm - Divers team up and surface swim to dive platform as a group, descend to platform 24 feet deep to weave sides of baskets. (60 minute bottom time is usual)

2:30 pm - Paired divers surface swim back to shore and break down equipment, top loops on baskets finished on shore, they need to dry out to finish tops.

3:30pm  - Head home Sign-up cutoff date is Friday August 30th.

 For more information about the outing please call Dean Soderbeck.  His information is below.

Dean Soderbeck
Adviser, BSA Scuba Venture Crew 820
GLSPS, 2nd Vice President
651-483-8596
deansoderbeck@yahoo.com